Page 97 of Crush

“It’s me,” he said. His voice was deeper and huskier than usual and a trickle of heat skirted across my skin.

“Happy Birthday. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. Did you have a good time?”

He cleared his throat before answering, “It was OK.”

I could tell he’d been drinking. “Yousoundlike you had a good time,” I pointed out, pacing around Mia’s bedroom as she started to paint her nails whilst pretending not to listen.

“How so?” Max asked.

“You’re slurring,” I replied with a small laugh.

He chuckled and I felt it in my toes. “I may have overindulged with a few bevvies.”

I plopped myself down on Mia’s dressing table chair which she’d vacated when she’d grabbed my phone. “Well, you need to be careful at your age.”

Another laugh came down the phone. “Funny. You’re brave when you’re miles away.”

“Yeah, so what are you going to do about it?” I goaded.

“I’ll just have to punish you when you get back.”

I grinned at my phone. “I’ll look forward to it.”

Silence greeted me for a moment before Max said, “You know I didn’t kiss Natalie, right?”

“I know. I was being a silly cow and I overreacted. I must have been having one of my bunny boiler days,” I explained, feeling like a complete loser. I also had no right to feel that way, Max, and I were not together. We were fucking, end of. That thought made me sad.

“I quite like you jealous,” he admitted. I kept tight-lipped.

Another beat of silence came and I wondered if he’d fallen asleep.

“Hell, I feel rough.”

“You should go, get some sleep. You’re going to need your energy tomorrow night,” I informed him with a sultry tone.

“Fuck yeah. When are you back?”

“Tomorrow, late afternoon. Dexter’s picking me up after lunch,” I told him, my chest swelling at the thought of seeing him.

“Tell him you can’t wait to suck his cock,” Mia whisper-shouted.

I held my phone against my chest, hoping to mute her comment, “Mia, shut up,” I shouted back before putting it back against my ear.

“Is that Mia?” Max asked.

“Yes. She’s being vulgar,” I explained shooting Mia the stink eye. She batted her lashes at me with a feigned innocent smile.

“That’s why she’s well-matched with Luca. He’s a dirty bugger too.”

“He’s coming over here tomorrow. They’re quite the thing.”

Max laughed, “I know, he was talking about her tonight and he made me feel like a needy fucker.”

“Needy? That’s not like you,” I began fishing. “Who do you need?”

“You know the answer to that. She’s tiny, with hair the colour of burnt embers. She has a cracking body and a mouth on her that would tempt a saint.”

“Really?”

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